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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans May 2024

The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The history of African Americans is composed of ongoing inhumane and normalized mistreatment that continues to generate widespread issues and challenges. African Americans’ current higher likelihood of exposure to one or more traumatic life events increases the possibility their emotional and mental well-being will be negatively impacted. The ethnic group’s development in historical trauma and abuse is being acknowledged as an underlying factor in the alarming increase in serious mental health conditions in African Americans. Continued racial and discriminative dynamics further increase African Americans’ susceptibility and risk for severe psychological illnesses in the United States. African Americans’ higher tendency not …


Navigating Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Role And Strategies Of Law Enforcement Spouses In Promoting Family Well-Being And Resilience, Ninive Gonzalez May 2024

Navigating Secondary Traumatic Stress: The Role And Strategies Of Law Enforcement Spouses In Promoting Family Well-Being And Resilience, Ninive Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Law enforcement officers’ (LEO) spouses play an important role in supporting their officers and maintaining family well-being and resilience in the face of unique challenges associated with the law enforcement career. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the experiences, challenges, and strategies LEO spouses utilize to navigate their roles’ demands and promote resilience within their families. This study aimed to understand better LEO spouses’ perceived roles and strategies for fostering family well-being and resilience. Specifically, it explored the challenges accompanied by the law enforcement career that LEO spouses face, the coping strategies they utilize, and the factors contributing to their resilience. …


Infidelity, Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder, And Post-Infidelity Stress Marital Outcomes, Faith Christie Leigh Roby May 2024

Infidelity, Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder, And Post-Infidelity Stress Marital Outcomes, Faith Christie Leigh Roby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marital infidelity discovery has been noted in the literature for traumatic emotional, behavioral, and psychological reactions in the injured spouse, but not extensively in terms of post-infidelity stress disorder. To that end, this cross-sectional quantitative anonymous online survey study explored marital infidelity, post-infidelity stress disorder and post-infidelity marital outcomes in 202 participants using certain frameworks, such as Glass’s traumatic aftershock and Ortman’s post-infidelity stress disorder. This researcher sought to investigate whether there is a relationship between post-infidelity stress disorder that is moderated by religious/core beliefs and marital repair efforts and marital outcomes of healing, forgiveness, benevolence, revenge, avoidance, divorce/desire to …


Collaborative Care Management: The Influence Of Location Of Care On Mental Health Self-Stigma, Melicia Ivette Tanner May 2024

Collaborative Care Management: The Influence Of Location Of Care On Mental Health Self-Stigma, Melicia Ivette Tanner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study was designed to contribute to the literature on self-stigma as it relates to mental health. Specifically, it was designed to explore whether those who received a certain type of care in the primary care setting (i.e., Collaborative Care [CoCM]) experienced self-stigma differently than those who received mental health care in more traditional settings or no care at all. It was hypothesized that those who received CoCM would experience lower rates of self-stigma. Participants for the study were drawn from a purposive sample of adult primary care patients with depression from a large health system located in upstate South …


The Impact Of A Group Mentoring Program On Psychosocial Development And Sense Of Belonging In Undergraduate Students, Natasha L. Varnick May 2024

The Impact Of A Group Mentoring Program On Psychosocial Development And Sense Of Belonging In Undergraduate Students, Natasha L. Varnick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mentoring has been studied in corporate and academic environments as a means of providing career and psychosocial support for young colleagues or students. Initially, mentoring was viewed as a single dyadic relationship between a mentor and a mentee. However, in recent years, it has been better understood in terms of mentoring constellations or group mentoring, as multiple mentors may best aid the development of individuals. While much mentoring research has examined professional development, this study focused on the psychosocial development that mentoring can provide. The relationship between mentoring and sense of belonging was also examined. It was hypothesized that students …


The Impact Of Social Dance Skills On The Development Of Employee Soft Skills, Danielle May Patridge May 2024

The Impact Of Social Dance Skills On The Development Of Employee Soft Skills, Danielle May Patridge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Employee soft skills are necessary in nearly every occupation for both employee and organizational success. There is a considerable body of knowledge related to the development of employee soft skills, and soft skills training is now seen in some educational curricula and organizational training programs. Yet, employers continue to report that employees and candidates are either lacking in or have underdeveloped soft skills, hampering both worker and organizational success. Soft skills cross domains and are not confined to use in the workplace; hence, they can also be developed in non-work domains. In this qualitative study, accomplished social dancers described their …


The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experience (Ace) On Victims' Self-Perception And Moral Character Development In Adulthood, Josephine Afua Owusu May 2024

The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experience (Ace) On Victims' Self-Perception And Moral Character Development In Adulthood, Josephine Afua Owusu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adversity experienced in childhood is known to have debilitating consequences that permeate subsequent life experiences and predict adulthood wellbeing. The intensity and nature of this impact vary, however. Empirical and practical knowledge also point to the significant role of self-perception in determining one’s view of others, character development, and life experiences. Research has suggested associations between childhood adversities and self-perception, although this knowledge is scanty and inconsistent, with similarly minimal evidence on their correlation with character development. This study set out to examine how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence victims’ self-perception and character development in adulthood. It employed a mixed …


Mental Toughness In The Workplace, Maiah E. Taylor May 2024

Mental Toughness In The Workplace, Maiah E. Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Within the realm of the modern work organization, the employers role on employees’ mental health has emerged as a critical factor concerning job attrition. Frequently, work organizations prioritize their productivity and output, rather than recognizing the importance of individual contributions as a reflection of their well-being. Research on workplace satisfaction and adversity management has failed to address the challenges that non-military or law enforcement populations face in retaining talent. Current research on mental toughness, resilience, and grit has overlooked the importance of civilian population training interventions, leaving a gap in the literature. This mixed-method study used an explanatory sequential design, …


The Impact Of School-Based Mentoring On At-Risk Students Of An Urban School District, Brandon B. Richardson May 2024

The Impact Of School-Based Mentoring On At-Risk Students Of An Urban School District, Brandon B. Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is necessary to consider and implement a strategy to close the academic performance gap, particularly for at-risk adolescents in urban school districts. Mentoring programs have been around for a long time and continue to be successful. This research study's goal was to investigate the influence at-risk adolescents in an urban school district get from a school-based mentorship program. The study had a total of 40 participants (10 mentors, 8 parents, 10 teachers, 10 students, and 2 administrators). The study employed a mixed methods research strategy. Using a quantitative method approach, the researcher investigated whether a mentorship program had significant …


Conscientiousness Personality Trait On Job Performance And Retention Of Public Service Employees, Arsenio Scott May 2024

Conscientiousness Personality Trait On Job Performance And Retention Of Public Service Employees, Arsenio Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Retention of federal employees is vital to the structure of our society in the United States. Keeping the workforce sufficiently staffed with high-performing individuals is necessary to maintain a key component of our strong nation. This research study delves into the conscientiousness personality trait to further understand the impact that this trait may have on the federal workforce. Current research focuses on the conscientiousness trait concerning the job performance of employees. However, the current literature lacks explicit depth on the federal workforce, and this study focuses on that demographic. This quantitative study seeks to fill gaps within the literature by …


Effects Of Covid-19 On Mental Health Workers' Job Satisfaction, Employee Burnout, And Intent To Leave, Colton Jacobs May 2024

Effects Of Covid-19 On Mental Health Workers' Job Satisfaction, Employee Burnout, And Intent To Leave, Colton Jacobs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 disease emerged in December 2019 and created a worldwide pandemic. As the COVID-19 virus spread, healthcare workers faced increased workloads and burnout due to increased stress. With a current abundance of research to better understand how the pandemic affected healthcare workers, minimal research has been conducted to investigate the effects on mental health workers. It is imperative to better understand how the consequences of the pandemic affected mental health workers due to their importance in supporting the mental well-being of our communities. This study focused on how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced job satisfaction, burnout syndrome, and intent to …


Exploring Black Business Owners' Experience In Public Procurement Contracts, Khamillia Harris May 2024

Exploring Black Business Owners' Experience In Public Procurement Contracts, Khamillia Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Black businesses are on the rise in the United States, and most are formed with the goal of achieving greater economic stability and positive impact on their communities. However, Black business owners often lack sufficient opportunities and access to essential resources (i.e., capital), which negatively affects their business stability efforts (Bento & Hwang, 2022). Black business owners can access procurement contracts as a unique way to access capital to grow and sustain their businesses (Chepkoit, 2018; Shelton & Minniti, 2018), yet they received 1.67% of public funds compared to 15.64% awarded to other non-minority small businesses (Choi et al., 2022; …


Mental Health Training For Teachers Since Covid-19, Patricia M. Van Prooyen May 2024

Mental Health Training For Teachers Since Covid-19, Patricia M. Van Prooyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study used a qualitative case study approach to examine teachers’ experiences returning to school following the COVID-19 pandemic and determine if mental health training for teachers to support student mental health would ease the return to school. The researcher recruited 12 Christian school teachers that taught in the classroom pre- and post-COVID-19. Inclusive criteria included teaching two years before the shutdown, teaching during the shutdown, returning to in-person teaching, and being at least 25 years old with no gaps in teaching between 2018-2022. All participants participated in a 30-45-minute audio-recorded, semi-structured, one-on-one interview in a discreet safe venue, such …


The Experiences Of Christian Males' Attachment Style And Attachment Figure To God, Irene G. Insunza May 2024

The Experiences Of Christian Males' Attachment Style And Attachment Figure To God, Irene G. Insunza

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the present study was to describe the lived experience of attachment to God in Christian men, how men obtained a secure attachment, and what it means to their life. Attachment Theory explains the importance of attachment bonds formed in infancy between the parent and child. Surrogate attachment figures have gained support in studies, indicating mental representation in attachment to God can assist in developing secure attachment style. The participants consisted of 12 Christian males, ages 21 to 57, active in their faith, and experienced an attachment to God. Using a qualitative, phenomenological design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were …


Constructivism, Curiosity, And Metacognitive Bias In The Age Of Google, Matthew Moore May 2024

Constructivism, Curiosity, And Metacognitive Bias In The Age Of Google, Matthew Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this experimental, posttest-only control-group study was to determine if there are differences in levels of metacognitive bias between those who do and do not use Google on a practice activity prior to the administration of a general knowledge test, when controlling for epistemic curiosity. The study seeks to help fill the gap in the literature by examining differences in metacognitive bias across not only the experimental variable of Google access, but also by participant variables, providing a more thorough understanding of how differences in individuals may moderate the relationship between Google use and bias. A sample of …


Using The Motivated Information Management Theory And The Social Support Theory To Understand Caregiver Perspectives Of Currently Available Health Communication Regarding Dementia: A Qualitative Study, Sara J. Alig May 2024

Using The Motivated Information Management Theory And The Social Support Theory To Understand Caregiver Perspectives Of Currently Available Health Communication Regarding Dementia: A Qualitative Study, Sara J. Alig

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dementia brings a cascade of changes into the life of not only the person facing it, but also the lives of the supporting family and caregivers. Dementia manifests with a gradual decline, or in some cases, a variably progressive decline in cognitive abilities. This decline requires the individual to rely more and more on caregivers. Caregiving necessitates the giving of oneself for another’s sake and oftentimes results in negative physical and social-emotional side effects. To navigate through the changes that are happening to their loved ones, as well as to themselves, caregivers need educational and social support. The purpose of …


Ethics As A Stand-Alone Course For Ph.D. In Public Administration, Daniel Scott May 2024

Ethics As A Stand-Alone Course For Ph.D. In Public Administration, Daniel Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Ethics is an essential aspect of society and public administration (PA). Despite being an essential aspect of PA, ethics courses are not universally integrated into higher education programs. Few higher education institutions have adopted a comprehensive approach to ethics, and ethics courses are not required for most doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) graduates in PA. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to understand the ramifications of not having a stand-alone ethics course in PA Ph.D. programs. The research questions that guided this study are: What are the ramifications of not having a stand-alone ethics course in PA Ph.D. programs? …


Avoiding The Cliff: A Case Study Exploring A Community-Based Program Working With Young Adults With Disabilities, Jon Christopher Mckinnon May 2024

Avoiding The Cliff: A Case Study Exploring A Community-Based Program Working With Young Adults With Disabilities, Jon Christopher Mckinnon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When young adults with disabilities (YAWD) age out of the system, they face what has colloquially been termed “the cliff,” which symbolizes the sudden drop in services that occur as they transition out of high school; needs previously met at school are left unaddressed. Multiple options have been suggested to meet these needs, including employment, vocational rehab, sheltered workshops, supported employment, postsecondary education, and volunteering. Despite this, options for YAWD remain limited, especially when they have intellectual disabilities. The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to understand how Top Crops, a community-based program in Bowling Green, KY, helps meet …


Childhood Trauma And The Impact On Education, Lakisha Yvetta Davis May 2024

Childhood Trauma And The Impact On Education, Lakisha Yvetta Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research aims to evaluate the complex relationship between childhood trauma and mental health disorders of bipolar, anxiety, and depression and their impact on education. Childhood trauma and mental health disorders have been on the rise, creating the need to understand their impact on educational outcomes. Thus, the study's purpose is to comprehend the present gaps in comprehending how these elements, childhood trauma, and mental health disorders affect educational outcomes such as grades and attendance rates. Data from 1000 students between the ages of 12 to 18 years from New York City was utilized. The method of analysis used for …


An Investigation Of The Effect Of A Combined Physical Exercise And Counseling As A Therapeutic Approach To Reducing Anxiety Symptoms, Andrea C. Beltran May 2024

An Investigation Of The Effect Of A Combined Physical Exercise And Counseling As A Therapeutic Approach To Reducing Anxiety Symptoms, Andrea C. Beltran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health issues are on the rise as the increase in emotional, psychological, and social well-being affects how people think, act, or feel toward themselves and others. The topic of physical exercise and mental health services has been researched to show a strong relationship between physical activity and positive mental health outcomes. Anxiety is the most common mental health concern in the United States (Goodwin et al., 2020). This study aims to investigate and quantify the impact and explore the relationships of the combined intervention approach of physical activity and counseling in reducing symptoms of anxiety. This research will utilize …


A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Hindrances To Seeking Help And Implementing Self-Care, Kerri S. Wilson May 2024

A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Hindrances To Seeking Help And Implementing Self-Care, Kerri S. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study aimed to identify and understand clergy members’ described hindrances to seeking help and implementing self-care for overcoming burnout. The theory guiding this study was transcendentalism from Husserl’s ontological approach to phenomenology. The United Pentecostal Church, International (UPCI) organization was chosen as the site for this study because the participants were clergy members licensed by the UPCI religious organization who had experienced burnout and hindrances to seeking help and implementing self-care. Participants included twelve UPCI clergy members. Data collection involved one-on-one initial interviews with each clergy member and follow-up interviews for clarification where needed. Data analysis …


Beyond The Pulpit: A Quantitative Analysis Of Midwest Church Leaders' Confidence And Competence In Addressing Sexual Trauma, Eryka Mcmillan May 2024

Beyond The Pulpit: A Quantitative Analysis Of Midwest Church Leaders' Confidence And Competence In Addressing Sexual Trauma, Eryka Mcmillan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study investigates the interconnectedness of confidence and competence within the context of Midwest church leaders in addressing survivors of sexual trauma. Sexual Trauma encompasses crimes like sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse, and it presents complex challenges within faith communities. This research employs an ordinal logistic regression, combining a survey instrument to assess leaders' confidence, known as the Readiness to Work with Trauma-Exposed Patients (RTEPS), and a comprehensive tool to measure competence, referred to as the Trauma-Informed Care Questionnaire (TICQ). Additionally, demographic factors, including race, age, gender, denomination, previous trauma training, and years of ministry experience, are analyzed …


Wellness In Licensed Professional Counselors: Counselor Perception Of Documentation Expectations On Professional Satisfaction, Aleta Seay Gibbs May 2024

Wellness In Licensed Professional Counselors: Counselor Perception Of Documentation Expectations On Professional Satisfaction, Aleta Seay Gibbs

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Counselors are important parts of a community, helping people heal and learn to cope with life. Communities are seeing staffing shortages, counselors leaving the field, and increasing mental health needs of residents. During the COVID-19 pandemic, regulations concerning documentation requirements and service provision rapidly changed, often several times. Counselors were permitted different ways of doing things in light of the constraints imposed by the virus. This included a reduction of how much documentation is required and might have included reductions in paperwork, policy changes, and service provision exceptions for licensed professional counselors (LPCs), like switching to telehealth for health and …


The Shared Experiences Of Self-Care Practices Among Postgraduate Residents-In-Counseling, Pursuing Virginia Licensure: A Phenomenological Study, Audrey A. King May 2024

The Shared Experiences Of Self-Care Practices Among Postgraduate Residents-In-Counseling, Pursuing Virginia Licensure: A Phenomenological Study, Audrey A. King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the shared experiences of residents-in-counseling in the state of Virginia seeking postgraduate hours who are currently in supervision, and how it affects their self-care. The central phenomenon for the study surrounded the encouragement, emphasis of, and practice of self-care by supervisors at the participant’s supervision site. The theory grounding the study is cognitive-behavioral supervision with an emphasis on the evaluation of a supervisor on the behavioral interactions of a resident-in-training obtaining direct client contact hours to meet state licensing requirements to practice as a mental health counselor. Four participants were …


Evangelism Development In A Multigenerational Rural Church, John E. Baldwin May 2024

Evangelism Development In A Multigenerational Rural Church, John E. Baldwin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Berea Baptist Church in Rockville, VA lacks a multigenerational means of evangelism.


Perceptions Of Leadership From Hispanic, Latino, And Spanish Employees In The Department Of Defense, Howard D. Thevenin May 2024

Perceptions Of Leadership From Hispanic, Latino, And Spanish Employees In The Department Of Defense, Howard D. Thevenin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to identify the satisfaction levels within the Department of Defense (DOD) of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish (HLS) employees. The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) is used to identify the perspectives and attitudes of HLS employees as they pertain to organizational and leadership satisfaction. These perspectives are conceptualized using the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory, which points to the relationships among these workplace actors as a principal characteristic of workplace satisfaction and intentions to leave an organization. The sample size acquired from the 2020 FEVS, administered from September 16th, 2020, …


A Phenomenological Study Of Psychological Experience In The Mental Health Crisis Of Korean American Christian Older Adolescents, Munmi Son May 2024

A Phenomenological Study Of Psychological Experience In The Mental Health Crisis Of Korean American Christian Older Adolescents, Munmi Son

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the experience of psychological distress witnessed in the mental health crisis of Korean American Christian adolescents. Korean adolescents are at increased risk of attempting suicide. Therefore, it is important to understand the phenomenon and psychological experience of mental health problems among Korean Christian adolescents. This study explores Korean-American cultural characteristics and the psychology of access to mental health services by these adolescents with mental health concerns. The design of this study is an interpretative qualitative study and includes open semi-structured interviews and observations for data collection. This study identifies the distinctiveness …


A Qualitative Exploration Of Practitioner Perspectives On Resilience In Children Who Have Experienced Csa And The Role Of Spiritual And Religious Coping, Lauren S. Hamrick May 2024

A Qualitative Exploration Of Practitioner Perspectives On Resilience In Children Who Have Experienced Csa And The Role Of Spiritual And Religious Coping, Lauren S. Hamrick

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Traumatic events, such as child sexual abuse (CSA) can negatively impact a child’s development across multiple biopsychosocial domains. Yet, many who experience CSA emerge resilient. Resilience involves multiple internal and external strengths that enhance a person’s ability to move beyond adversity and thrive. Research has pointed to the protective influence of spiritual and religious coping (R/S coping) among trauma survivors; however, there remains an absence of knowledge regarding the use of R/S coping in children. Therefore, I sought to fill the gap in the literature and capture the experiences of mental health practitioners who treat children who have experienced CSA, …


Perceptions Of Paid Pastoral Staff Of Volunteer Engagement In The Assemblies Of God, Glorielba Orta Meléndez May 2024

Perceptions Of Paid Pastoral Staff Of Volunteer Engagement In The Assemblies Of God, Glorielba Orta Meléndez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Volunteers play a critical role in churches, and successful collaboration between paid pastoral staff and volunteers is essential for achieving the church’s mission. However, conflicts can arise when defining the roles and responsibilities of volunteers and paid pastoral staff. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of paid pastoral staff regarding volunteer engagement in the Assembly of God’s (AG’s) church mission. The research drew from Harold Kelley and John Thibaut’s interdependence theory, which shed light on human interactions and their influences. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with 10 AG pastors in paid staff positions, the findings described the volunteer manager role that …


Exploring The Relationship Between Perception Of Mindfulness In Email Communication And Employee Stress, Jacqueline Christine Snook May 2024

Exploring The Relationship Between Perception Of Mindfulness In Email Communication And Employee Stress, Jacqueline Christine Snook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between the perception of leadership mindfulness with email communication and employee stress. Foundational to this research was the theoretical basis of the Job Demands Resource model, the Buddhist philosophy of mindfulness, and the Bible. The framework provided a necessary structure for investigating the application of mindfulness to organizational behavior in terms of email communication practices. The study was conducted using a sample of 69 participants. The participants responded to a 33-item Likert inventory through Survey Monkey. Reliability was assessed to determine the consistency and trustworthiness of each item for …